Placebo Effect

by Rosie Arthur

Real sparks fly when a grumpy neurosurgeon pretends to date his admin assistant. But they're not catching feelings—that's just a placebo effect.

Dr. Drew Malone is a hotshot neurosurgeon who needs a fake girlfriend. The daughter of the hospital’s biggest donor just asked him out, and he can’t say no without an excuse.

So Drew says he’s dating his admin assistant, Ally Parker. It’s a lie, a dream, and a Human Resources nightmare. But Ally’s big eyes and smart mouth have been messing with his head.

Drew’s willing to confess to his lie, but Ally knows that won’t stop the hospital gossip. People will say she slept with her boss but couldn't hold his interest.

So Drew suggests a fake relationship for three months, so people won’t think it’s just a fling. It makes sense to Ally, but she’s not sure they can sell it—Drew’s cold and cynical, and she doesn’t think she’s his type, either.

But Drew has a secret: Ally’s held his interest since she walked through his door. Pretending to date her is torture, but he promised it would be fake. So he’s going to be a gentleman, even if it kills him—and he's starting to think it might.

Placebo Effect is a sizzling fake-dating, grumpy boss medical romance. Dual POV. Moderate spice (Open door). This is book two in the Somerset Surgeons series, but can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Fake Dating, Amazon, Stem

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

Rosie Arthur writes love stories full of sizzle and swoon. The women are stubborn, the men are smoldering, and the endings are always happy.

If she isn't writing, she's probably reading to her kids or walking her dog.

Rosie lives in Toronto.

Contact: rosiearthurwrites@gmail.com

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saying I loved this book still feels like an understatement, because seriously, I LOVED this book! Rosie Arthur has this magical way of storytelling and creating characters that have you rooting for them and wanting the best for them, even when they get lost in the twists and turns of their own decisions. Drew and Ally are a match made in HR’s worst nightmare, which leads to great banter, suspense, humor, and so much misunderstanding! Can they make it through the HR fumble and the deceptions to make it to the other side?! Go ahead and pick up your new favorite book!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Dr. Drew Malone tells his largest donor that he has a girlfriend, that is news to Alexandra (Ally), his new admin, whom he has indicated is that person. Since they have just started working together, it might be difficult to pretend to be a couple, but Alexandra’s larger worry is that it will damage her reputation in her new job at the hospital. They decide that to give the relationship credibility, they need to continue for several months. As they get to know each other, Drew and Ally might find there is more to their fake relationship than they thought.
This is the second book in the series, and that I have read by this author. Hidden Gems has provided the ARCs. You do not need to read the first book to enjoy this one. In general, I find Rosie’s romances to be fun and fast reads that make me smile. I really enjoyed the characters and their banter.

[Brittany Steminist Booknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

STEM MMC: neurosurgeon
Although this is book 2 in the series, you can definitely read it as a stand alone. You do see the first book’s couple in here, but their story isn’t necessary to get into this one.
This book was ok, just a middle of the road romance. I feel like it got a bit repetitive in some places, and the author really likes to spell everything out for you, so you don’t have to do any thinking at all when you read it.
Their characters arcs were decent and the spice was good. At the end of this book, there are no hints if there will be any more books in this series or who would even be the MCs. I would hope that Ethan gets a book with a nice redemption arc, but I’m not sure if that’s where it’s heading.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost I'm a little biased since this takes place in Canada not far from Toronto and thats like a second home for me who lives not far away in Montreal!! Second a feel good love story I didnt think I would enjoy but surprisingly did! Thankfully it was to full of doctor stuff since the mmc is a doctor or to full of tennis stuff since e the fmc was a former tennis pro. Perfect balance with a little spice! My only criticism is that there were some editing mistakes but thats probably just because I got an early copy.

[Simone Haeseler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a fresh and funny story, the way they interacted was pretty great. She had some really funny answers, that made me laugh out loud. She was direct and told him how it was, I liked her a bunch. Drew was great to, a gentleman but still cool. All in all a really good book, since I never read anything from her before, I’ve will keep her in mind for other books.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He needs a girlfriend fast when they ask him out so he tells them he already has a girlfriend, her his assistant. She is shocked when he tells her that she needs to pretend to be his girlfriend. She is finding she is starting to feel things for him. See how she gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a fun read

[Cherie Melbourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and I enjoyed the way she told this story. The witty banter between Drew and Ally had me laughing out loud a couple of times. The pace of the story meant that it held my attention and turning the pages.
A totally enjoyable read and I'll gladly read more from this author.
I received a free advance review copy and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Placebo effect

I enjoyed the characters and the story. It was entertaining and i looked forward to reading this book everyday. I could've done without so many sequel scenes and the bqd lqnguage.

[Reggaewoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ally is Drew’s unwanted admin. There is an instant attraction between the two. Drew needs a fake girlfriend to shield him from the unwanted advances of a hospital donor’s persistent daughter; however, once they start spending time together, the fake becomes real. Sweet romance.

[mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

já faz um tempão que não leio romance bobinho assim apesar desses dois livros n serem la grandes coisas ne mass gostei desse aqui mais do que o primeiro

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tengo que leer el primero libro y estaré al pendiente de sus siguientes trabajos.